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At OU Medicine, our mission is leading health care. Our vision is to be the premiere enterprise for advancing health care, medical education and research for the community, state and region. Through our combined efforts we strive to improve the lives of all people.

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The College of Medicine is the largest component of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and is at the center of OU Medicine. Our mission is leading health care - in education, research and patient care.

Alternative and Complementary Medicine Quiz

Many people swear by alternative and complementary therapies. Find out more about these treatments by taking this quiz.

1. Alternative medicine and complementary medicine mean the same thing.

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These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), alternative medicine refers to medical therapies used in place of conventional medicine (allopathic). Complementary medicine refers to medical therapies used along with conventional medicine.

A. TrueB. False

2. One of the central principles of complementary and alternative medicine is that the body heals itself.

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Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners see the body as responsible for its own healing. Complementary and alternative medicine practitioners try to find the best approaches to support the body in its self-healing. They also see themselves as teachers, instructing you on ways to heal. Docere is a central part of most alternative and complementary practitioners. This term refers to the healer as teacher.

Another complementary and alternative medicine principle is prevention, or doing all you can to keep yourself healthy and avoid illness. This is a principle used by conventional medicine, as well. Some complementary and alternative medicine practitioners believe in various types of balance between forces or energies that are outside of the body to which the body needs to align itself in order to heal. An example of this is acupuncture.

A. TrueB. False

3. Homeopathy is a form of complementary and alternative medicine that uses extremely small amounts of certain substances to promote healing.

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Homeopathy is based on the idea that "like cures like." The theory is that a homeopathic remedy stimulates the body with very tiny amounts of a substance. If this substance were given in large amounts, it would cause illness. Homeopathy triggers the natural healing process.

A. TrueB. False

4. Herbal medicine and acupuncture are treatments used in naturopathy.

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Naturopathy emphasizes the natural healing process of each person. Naturopathic doctors also offer nutritional advice focused on the person as a whole. Naturopaths use dietary supplements, herbal medicine, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, and joint manipulation, as appropriate. Naturopaths encourage people to follow a healthy lifestyle to avoid disease.

A. TrueB. False

5. Ayurvedic medicine started in India. It promotes controlled breathing as one part of treatment.

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Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes treating the mind, body, and spirit as the way to promote wellness. Controlled breathing is just one factor. Other elements of treatment can include diet, exercise, meditation, herbal medicine, and massage. Studies have been done in India on the effectiveness of ayurvedic medicine, but not enough research has been done to prove that this type of medicine helps.

A. TrueB. False

6. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on the idea of balancing yin and yang.

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TCM believes that the body contains two opposite forces: yin is the cold, slow and passive force; yang is the hot, fast and active force. Illness occurs when an imbalance occurs between these forces, allowing a kind of life energy (qi, or chi) to become blocked. TCM uses several types of treatment, including acupuncture and heat, Chinese herbs, and massage and body manipulation. Although elements of TCM such as acupuncture and massage are effective in certain cases and for specific health conditions, studies have not verified for sure that TCM as a separate form of medicine works.

A. TrueB. False

7. The herb Artemisia Annua, from Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been used successfully to treat malaria.

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Artemisia Annua contains the chemical artemisinin, which researchers used to create drugs for malaria treatment.

A. TrueB. False

8. St. John's wort is an herb touted as a natural treatment for diabetes.

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St. John's wort has been marketed as a treatment for depression. The NCCIH says that studies on the herb's effectiveness have had mixed results.

A. TrueB. False

9. It's important to tell your healthcare provider about any dietary supplements you take because they may interact with prescription medicines.

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A dietary supplement should be regarded as medicine. It can interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Gingko, for instance, can boost the action of blood-thinner medicines (anticoagulants), causing bleeding. Other supplements that have been shown to interfere with medicines include St. John's wort, garlic, glucosamine, ginseng, saw palmetto, and valerian.

A. TrueB. False

10. You can't take too much of a water-soluble vitamin.

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Although water-soluble vitamins aren't stored in the body the way fat-soluble vitamins are, they can still cause problems while they are being digested. High doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. High doses of vitamin B-6 can cause nerve damage. Talk with your healthcare provider before taking a dietary supplement, particularly if it's more than a multivitamin.